Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-12-10

coming
.Don'tI beg of you,.ler me inter.
fcre with any of your household
arrangements, said Ericsson, whose
idea of housekeeping consisted of
leaving a dirty room in the MORN
ing and coming back to new cur
tains, fresh chair covers and pol.
ishpd furniture at night. You see
orr old bachelor had yet much to
learn.
Violet came to- the tea table, her
pretty face diSfgured by a close
cap, IA bib apron enveloping her
figure in it's volnminouS and cur
ions fpkls.and II preoccupied air.
There WAS nothingto eatbut bread
and butter. damaged pickles and
i cold pork.
.Eh! How's this" asked MI.
Howard, Surveying the board with
a Disguised air. is this the best
You have to set before us, violetF
'Grandpapar said Violet, With
an injured air, 'you know | have
some ambition to be IL good house
kceper-and how can clean house
properly and yet spend my whole
time in the kitchens Besides, |
don't for one believe III indigesti,
bile dainties. II ever keep house
| shall live on plain Graham bread
and simple cold water.'
MIR. EricSon,who WAS ratherfond
of harmless little side dishes and
salads, sjellicS and creams, WINGED
visibly. Grandpapa Howard
stared at the saucy little girl IN
blank wonder.
After tea Mr.. Ericsson sat down
for chat with Violet, but he had
scarcely spoken sentence before
she rose.
Excuse me,'s said she, 'but l
| must go ana sec that the carpets
are brought in from the grass and
the whitewaSh pals covered, Your
room was whitewashed today, Mr..
Ericsson, and thoroughly scrubbed.
l saw to 1t myself!'
.EhH gasped the elderly lover,
thinking of his rheumatism and
Sciaiica. Possibly it may be Il
little danl'-if-ii'any other apart
ment was equally as convenient,
THE bodsteadS are all down, and
rhe carpets all upp interrupted
Violet. You can either sleep there
OF in the barn, whichever you
choosen
Mr.. Ericsson looked rather dis
comtled. Evidently the velHet
kitten cunid scratch, if she chose.
And WASN'T it just possible that
Violet Howard might be a shrewg
lie was no Petruchlo to attemp;
tanning this Katharine, aud
just then Mr.. Howard came in
aud The old gontlcman's reverle
was cut short.
He went yawning toh his bedroom
dit lime O'Clock. 1t was rather
stupid to SIT by the light oil a kero-
seue lalup and listen to old How
ards platltudeS. Violet came near
him no more.
.ph-e-!' said Mr.. Ericsson, look
Tug hopelessly a. the wet floor, and
reeking walls of his room. Sheets
damp, Ill bet cookey! My good
woman to Dorcas, who was car
rying his lamp! 'how often does
your young lady clean housea'
-Four times year, sir said
Dol cas-. promptly, and ofiener II
sue things the house needs it. Shes
d dreadful smart huuSekecper, is
Miss Vl'!et.'
sFour times a yearH echoed MI
Ericsson, in dlsmay. Why alnan's
life would be secured and scrubbed
away from him at ibis rate
He woke up at tle:frst dawn OF
the morning, stiff, sore, and with
aching pans in every JOINT.
.Confound house cleanlng,' he
thought as he coutrived to draw
his broadclo.h coat across the
newly whitened wall, thereby caus
ing 1t to assume a resemblance toa
miller's blouse. 'l've had enough
of it,
He came down to a breakfast OF
weak coffee, pickles and cold PORK
again. with bag ready packed.
you're not gong to leave us,
Ericson?' cried his host.
IL find important business
will take me away this morning.
unblushingly lied our venerable
hero. And look you here Howard
"a word in your earl find, on
mature reflection, that it would be
very foolish for al old codger like
myself TO think of allying myself,to
your-ahpm = charming grand
daughter. May and November,
ell? and all that sort OF thing! She'll
be a great deal happier with some
one nearer her own age. ANU
speaking very fast to anticipate
the opposition he saw in MIR. Hero
dotus Howard's face, 'about that
trihe OF money between US, wen
cry quits. What does a few dol
lars signify between friends2 Take
it as a Wedding present to Miss
Violet, whenever she finds some
one to take my place. Ha! ha! la!
And away went Mr. Ericsson.
Violet Howard did not waste
single tear over her recreant lover.
She ent meirily on with the spring
cleaning, and when that annual
ceremonial was over she married.